Collapsible drawing board easel



Jan. 17, 1956 A. G. WEIR COLLAPSIBLE DRAWING BOARD EASEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1954 g 1 /LKQ Q INVENTOR.

ATTD RN EYS Jan. 17, 1956 A, EI 2,730,835

COLLAPSIBLE DRAWING BOARD EASEL Filed Feb. 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Anzl'e 62 71512 myawl ATTDRNIEYS United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE DRAWING BOARD EASEL Archie GaWeir, Fontana, Calif. Application February 4, 1954, Serial No. 408,182

4 Claims/ (Cl. 45-131) This invention relates to a collapsible easel; and more particularly to a collapsible easel for supporting a drawing board.

The object of the invention is to provide an easel which can be supported on any type of furniture such as a dresser, chair, or the like, the easel of the present invention adapted to be folded to occupy a minimum amount of space when it is not being used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible drawing board easel which is especially suitable for students of commercial and mechanical drawing and wherein the easel can be made of any suitable material such as wood or interlocking metal strips, the easel adapted to be used in conjunction with ordinary furniture and wherein it can be readily carried from place to place when needed or when not being used.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible drawing board easel which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible easel being supported on a chair.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the easel extended and being supported on a dresser.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4.4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view showing certain constructional details of the device.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the position of the parts when the easel is in folded position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the collapsible easel of the present invention, and the easel can be made of any suitable material such as wood or metal. The easel 10 includes a body member 13 which comprises a pair of spaced parallel arms 11. Extending between the lower ends of the arms 11 and secured thereto is a crosspiece 12, and the upper portion of the crosspiece 12 extends above the upper surface of the arms 11 to provide a support for a drawing board or the like. Extending longitudinally along each outer surface of each of the arms 11 is a tongue 14 for a purpose to be later described.

Slidably engaging each of the arms 11 is a bar 15, and each of the bars 15 is provided with a groove 16 for slidably receiving the adjacent tongue 14, Figure 2. Each of the bars 15 is further provided with an elongated slot 17, and a bolt and nut assembly 18 extends from each of the arms 11 through each of the slots 17. Thus, by loosening the wing nut on the bolt and nut assembly 18, the bars 15 can be adjusted on the arms 11 to vary the length thereof after which the wing nuts on the bolt and nut assemblies 18 can be tightened to maintain these parts immobile in their adjusted positions. j

The upper end of each of the bars 15 is beveled or inclined as at 19, and extending between the beveled ends 19 and secured thereto is a head board 22. The lower portion of the head board 22 projects below the lower surface of the bars 15,.and this lower projecting portion of the head board 22 is adapted to engage an open drawer 20 of a dresser 21, Figure 2. Or, the head board 22 can be arranged in engagement with other. articles of furniture such as the top piece 23 of a chair 24, Figure 1..

There is further provided a support member 25 which includes a pair of spaced parallel legs 26 that are hingedly or pivotally connected to the arms 11 by pins or bolt and nut assemblies 27, Figure 2. Slidably connected to each of the legs 26 is a strip member 28, and each of the legs 26 is provided with an inwardly positioned longitudinally extending tongue 29 which is adapted to slide in a corresponding groove 30 in the strip member 28. Each of the strip members 28 is further provided with an elongated slot 31, and suitable, bolt and nut assemblies 32 extend from the legs '26 through the slots 31. Thus, by loosening the wing nuts on the bolt and nut assemblies 32, the length of the support member 25 can be varied as desired, and after the support member has been moved to its desired length the wing nuts on the bolt and nut assemblies 32 can be tightened to maintain these parts immobile in their adjusted positions. A base piece 33 extends between the lower ends of the strip members 28 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, and the base piece 33 is adapted to rest on the seat 34 of the chair 24 when the device is being used on the chair as shown in Figure 1. Or, the base 33 can engage a portion of the dresser 21 when the easel is being used as shown in Figure 2. The upper ends of the arms 11 are beveled or inclined as at 35 in order to conform with the shape of the head board 22.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a collapsible easel has been provided which is especially suitable for supporting a drawing board or the like. The easel of the present invention can be used with various types of furniture as for example the chair 24 of Figure l or with the dresser 21 of Figure 2. As shown in Figure l the head board 22 is arranged so that its lower edge engages the top 23 of the chair 24 and the base piece 33 engages the seat 34 of the chair. Thus, the drawing board can be conveniently supported at the right angle on the body member 13, and the projecting upper portion of the crosspiece 12 will provide a rest or support for the bottom edge of the drawing board. The bolt and nut assemblies 18 can be loosened so that the effective length of the body member 13 can be varied as desired, and similarly the bolt and nut assemblies 32 can be loosened until the support member 25 has been moved to the desired length. The interfitting tongues and grooves maintain the various parts in their proper aligned positions.

The drawing board support of the present invention can be used in connection with ordinary furniture and can be easily carried from place to place and can be stored in a folded position as shown in Figure 8 so as to occupy a minimum amount of space. When the device is being used with the chair such as the chair 24, the head board 22 engages the top of the chair and the base piece 33 engages the seat 34. Or, as shown in Figure 2, the device can be used with a partly open. dresser drawer or the device can be hooked over the top of the foot of a bed and the base piece 33 can rest against the panel can be kept separate from the'easel.

I claim; l. A collapsible drawing board easel comprising a body member and a support member, said body member "including'a pair of spacedparallel arms, a longitudinally extending tongue arranged on the outer surface of eachof' said arms, a crosspiece arrangedflat right angles with respect to the lower'ends of said arms. and secured thereto, a portion 'of said crosspi'ece' extending above the upper stresses;

bedor it can be usedirr a" surface of said arms. to provide a drawing board support, I

a pair of spaced parallel bars ,provided with longitudinally extending grooves for slidably engagingsaid tongues, there being elongated slots in said bars, securing elements extending from said arms through. said slots, said support member including a pair of legs pivotally connected to said arms, longitudinally extending tongues portionof an we board extendingdownwardly below 7 the lower surfaces of said bars.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1, and further including a base piece extending between the lower ends of said strip members and secured thereto.

4. A collapsible drawing board easel comprising a body member and a support member, said body member including a, pair of arms, a tongue arranged. on the outer surface of each of said arms, a crosspiece arranged at an angle with. respect to. the lower ends of said arms and secured thereto, a portion of said crosspiece. extending above'the upper surface ofsaid arms to provide a drawing board support, a pair. of; bars provided with grooves for slidably engaging said tongues, there being slots in said bars, securing elements extending from said arms through said slots, said support member including a pair of legs pivotally connected to said arms, tongues extending inwardly from said legs, a pair of strip members positioned within said legs and provided with slots for slidably receiving the tongues of said legs,'th ere being slots in said strip members, and securing elements extending from said legs" through the slots in said strip members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

